Are mouse excluders necessary?

[Swarm]

It currently has a 'normal' entrance block/reducer, homemade from B&Q's 21mm sq ... !
So I do have an idea of my carving inaccuracy.

However, I feel that an 8mm drill hole (or several) is going to be too easily blocked by attempted dead-bee-removal, and too good at pollen-stripping, for *my* personal taste. Your mileage may vary.

And honestly, a 'slot' *built* using 6 or 8mm wood strip (from an iffy bottom bar or two) is going to be *much* more dimensionally accurate than something *I* have carved out from a square block. Again, your mileage may vary

Guys, I overcame this quite easily. Similar to what Itma suggests, only I didn't use bottom bar pieces, I used thinner wood ( IIRC, 21mm x 6mm ) and made a little pillar each end of a 15mm wooden block. The entrance is now a full width ( but for the pillars ) that is just 6-7mm high.

I should add that I've never removed entrance blocks and never fitted mouse guards.

 

[Ely]

Nearly every beekeeper seems to have ocd if this site is anything to go by

 

[tonybloke]

Nearly every beekeeper seems to have ocd if this site is anything to go by

wel I have CDO, with the latters in alphabetical order, like they should be

 

[Ely]

wel I have CDO, with the latters in alphabetical order, like they should be

 

[DanBee]

wel I have CDO, with the latters in alphabetical order, like they should be

In which case you need to see a DOC

 

[Chris Luck]

Using mouse guards is cheap and simple, causes no interference or harm to the bees so the question should be why not use them? Mice and rats can cause massive damage and quite often destroy a colony if they gain access during the quieter months.

Chris

 

[richardbees]

Heather

Have seen hives with OMF with cosy nest inside. Mice climb to warmth, munch wax which blocks a portion of ....

you obviously didn't read my post properly, old chap.... - i.e. the bit where I said to keep a very reduced entrance block in place

richard

 

[Der Alte Fritz]

However, I feel that an 8mm drill hole (or several) is going to be too easily blocked by attempted dead-bee-removal, and too good at pollen-stripping, for *my* personal taste. Your mileage may vary.

Bees seem to like small holes but avoid having them blocked by dead bees by having a couple of holes side by side on the floor and by the depth of the obstrusting wall being quite thin as opposed to a long tunnel (ie a a hole cut into a block of wood. The best way I can think of replicating this is to punch holes into a sheet of metal, like a traditional mouse excluder except with smaller holes but spend the time rounding the edges to stop the pollen stripping effect.

 

[itma]

Bees seem to like small holes but avoid having them blocked by dead bees by having a couple of holes side by side on the floor and by the depth of the obstrusting wall being quite thin as opposed to a long tunnel (ie a a hole cut into a block of wood. The best way I can think of replicating this is to punch holes into a sheet of metal, like a traditional mouse excluder except with smaller holes but spend the time rounding the edges to stop the pollen stripping effect.

My reference to 8mm holes was specific to the idea of an 8mm hole in a 21mm deep block.
Which I would call a tunnel ...

B&Q - 21 mm square finished timber abut 5 quid for a length that makes 4/5 blocks (can't remember how many I got out of 1 length) and just add a normal slot, then at 90 degrees a few 8mm holes/slots cut into it for a mouse guard entrance

Fits Pains 14x12 poly perfectly.

And the problem with the Pains poly is that you can't simply use a standard strip metal mouseguard (as I have on my wooden 14x12s) ...

 

[susbees]

Bees seem to like small holes but avoid having them blocked by dead bees by having a couple of holes side by side on the floor and by the depth of the obstrusting wall being quite thin as opposed to a long tunnel (ie a a hole cut into a block of wood. The best way I can think of replicating this is to punch holes into a sheet of metal, like a traditional mouse excluder except with smaller holes but spend the time rounding the edges to stop the pollen stripping effect.

Them be caucasica....Just. Look. At. That. Propolis!

 

[Heather]

Heather


you obviously didn't read my post properly, old chap.... - i.e. the bit where I said to keep a very reduced entrance block in place

richard

Less of the old!! and if we ever meet- I am no chap...

 

[richardbees]

oops!

my apologies, Heather - I'd confused you with someone else.....

...I feel awful now!

 

[Silly_Bee]

Free mouse excluder...SE11

Anyone with a NATIONAL hive in SE11 want a free mouse guard? We ordered one for our WBC through Amazon, and were sent the wrong sort. Not worth returning, so free to a good home. Or hive...